Fashion Business: Event Planning

From a simple dinner with friends to a lavish party for hundreds, a birthday party for children to the inauguration of a president, everyone knows it takes planning to ensure a successful event. GCC's Event Planning Concentration will provide the skills necessary to satisfy the interests of even the most discriminating client for the most distinctive occasion.

Event Planning coursework includes Customer Service Management, Principles of Event Management, and Meeting and Convention Planning. Elements of these courses help you understand:

Consumer behavior

Demographics

Space design

The psychology behind color selection

Culinary choices

Securing entertainment contracts and endorsements

and other important areas that contribute to a successful event

As a student in the Event Planning Concentration, you will learn how to coordinate the special services each event demands, and also manage the million little details that will distinguish success.

Study Online!

Did you know that a majority of the Fashion Business: Event Planning program can be completed online?

Fashion Business: Event Planning AAS (50% or more can be completed online)

Why GCC?

Your experience will not only involve the annual Fashion Show but field trips to New York City or Toronto, as well as meaningful co-op opportunities. Throughout your studies, you will benefit from the program's long term relationships that provide excellent hands-on experiences.

Depending on your interests, you can expand your knowledge base by working in public relations, on the college's radio station, developing website content, or creating the front-of-house encounters. With small class sizes, your instructors quickly learn not only your name, but also your strengths, and they help you define and refine your abilities and areas of interest.

All of your new skills and invaluable knowledge are transferable in the pursuit an advanced college degree, or to secure a financially and personally rewarding position upon your graduation.

GCC Fashion Show

You'll have the opportunity to demonstrate your newly acquired skills at GCC's annual Fashion Show, the annual capstone project scheduled at the end of April for more than 30 years.

As one of the largest events hosted at GCC, the Spring Fashion Show is a top-notch, student-run production that requires extensive cooperation from students in multiple disciplines. This event brings all the Fashion Business students into a cohesive team and utilizes and accentuates their collection of acquired skills and unique talents.

The show draws huge crowds, involves hundreds of volunteers, and has warranted accolades to GCC's Fashion Program for decades. It also expands your portfolio, and has now inspired this new concentration for Fashion Business students.

Career Opportunities

The skills you will learn in the Event Planning concentration prepare you for jobs in desirable workplaces including resorts, cruise ships, spas, hotels, country clubs, conference and event centers, and a variety of tourist attractions. Career options include:

Entrepreneur

Event Coordinator (multinational corporations to small nonprofits)

Meeting Planner (huge stadiums to small theatres)

Corporate Events Director

Wedding Coordinator

Convention Planner

Special Events Manager

Transfer Opportunities

Starting at GCC saves many students and their families thousands of dollars in tuition. With an A.S. or A.A. degree you will be able to seamlessly transfer within the SUNY network of 64 college and universities as well as to many 4-year private institutions. GCC's A.S. and A.A. programs were developed as part of the SUNY seamless transfer initiative allowing students to complete the first two years of a bachelor's degree as a freshman and a sophomore at a community college, then seamlessly transfer to a SUNY four-year institution to earn a bachelor's degree. Please reference the SUNY Transfer Pathways for degree programs to learn about any campus specific requirements. Visit the SUNY Core Course Finder to plan out the courses you should complete to transfer to a 4-year SUNY School.

If you are planning to transfer to a 4-year private institution you should work with our Transfer Services office to learn about possible articulation agreements and pathways that exist for many or our degree programs. Some GCC A.A.S. programs also have transfer opportunities.

To learn more about these opportunities and agreements contact the Transfer Services Office, we are more than happy to work with you and answer any questions you may have on building your own personalized transfer plan.